The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Pelargonium.times.hortorum known by the varietal name Ritz (Oglevee No. 7088, Denholm Code 81113-3). The new variety was discovered in a selected breeding program in 1981 at Denholm Seeds in Lompoc, Calif. The new variety is a selection from the crossing of Victoria (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,064) and Veronica (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,054).
Ritz is similar to Victoria in total plant and flower height. The new cultivar has similar color range, petal and petaloid count, good heat tolerance, and continual flowering as that of Victoria. The similarities between Ritz and Veronica are that both plants are dwarf, have good heat tolerance, and are resistant to wind and rain. Ritz differs from Victoria in that it has a slightly darker color tint with a Red group 53D eye and the flowers are 5.0 to 7.5 cm. above the leaves rather than close to the leaves. Ritz is overall a taller plant than Veronica, and the flower color is more in the scarlet range than that of Veronica.
The new variety was first asexually reproduced by cuttings at Denholm Seeds, Lompoc, Calif. 93436. The new variety has been asexually reproduced by cuttings at Oglevee Ltd. in Connellsville, Pa. over a several-year period. It has also been trial and field tested at Connellsville, Pa. and has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive propagations.
The cultivar, when grown in a glass greenhouse in Connellsville, Pa. using natural light and 60.degree. F. night, 68.degree. F. day and 71.degree. F. vent, has a response time of six weeks from rooted cutting to flowering in a 10 cm. pot. The response time was determined on plants grown in soilless media employing constant fertilizer of 200 parts per million of nitrogen and potassium in full light. The rooted cuttings were potted Feb. 14, 1990 and flowered on Apr. 1, 1990.